Steve Pajcic (born August 4, 1946) is an American lawyer, politician and philanthropist. He served in the Florida House of Representatives for six terms, from 1974–86. He was the Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 1986. Upbringing and education Pajcic was born and raised in Jacksonville, is of Croatian descent, and a 6th generation Florida Cracker on his mother's side. He attended Annie R. Morgan Elementary School, Paxon Middle School, and Paxon High School. At Paxon High, he was valedictorian and student body class president. He was a star athlete and voted Most Valuable Player in the Florida high school all-star basketball game. He attended Princeton, where he played on the nationally ranked basketball teams following future NBA player and Democratic presidential candidate, Bill Bradley. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Princeton, Pajcic attended Harvard Law School, graduating with honors. His award-winning senior thesis at Princeton on the Economic Desirability of a Corporate Income Tax for Florida became the central issue in Reubin Askew's campaign for Governor. Political career In 1974, Pajcic was elected to the first of six terms to the Florida House of Representatives, where he showed particular interest in educational issues. He was chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee and the prime sponsor of major legislation, including an increase in the homestead exemption from $5,000 to $25,000, The Save Our Rivers land acquisition program, and migrant farm workers rights. In eight of his 11 years, he was nominated by the St. Petersburg Times for the Most Valuable Member of the state house. 1986 gubernatorial campaign In 1986 he ran for the Democratic nomination for governor of Florida. In the primary election Pajcic slightly led the second-place finisher, state Attorney General Jim Smith; but, as neither had received 50%, per Florida law, a runoff primary was held. In a televised debate, the candidates were asked if, should they fail to win the nomination, would they endorse their runoff opponent in the general election against the Republican nominee. Smith and Pajcic answered in the affirmative. When Pajcic emerged victorious, Smith evaded the issue of an endorsement for several days. Eventually, Smith came out and openly endorsed the Republican candidate, Tampa mayor Bob Martinez. This split in Democratic ranks was a major contributor to the election of Martinez as only the second Republican governor of Florida since Reconstruction, as even Martinez himself acknowledged in